National Awards Categories

There are 16 UDIA National Excellence Awards, including our Annual President’s Award. Entry is by nomination of the state divisions of UDIA, with each division entitled to nominate one project from their state award winners into the National Awards.

Masterplanned Development Award

Projects entered in the Masterplanned Development category must have a coherent design, with a relevant range of facilities within the development, whether predominantly residential, civic, recreational, entertainment, tourist, commercial or industrial, or a combination of any of these primary uses.

The size of projects is not defined for entry purposes, but the State divisions of UDIA will determine the required scale of development that is consistent with the definition of ‘master planned’ within that state.

The substantially completed project must be large enough to generate a sense of community and developed to the stage where tangible benefits of a ‘master planned’ approach can be demonstrated.

Medium Density Development Award

Projects entered in the Medium Density Development category must have a maximum of 30 dwellings per site hectare and between four and eight storeys. Projects must be predominantly residential including small lot housing, villas, town houses, terrace homes, row housing, and apartment buildings and may incorporate minor commercial/retail components.

The local context (including location and market conditions) will be taken into account.

Small Scale Development Award

Projects entered in the Small Scale Development category must be predominantly residential (i.e. small lot housing, villas, town houses, terrace homes, row housing, apartment buildings) and may incorporate commercial/retail components.

They should have a minimum of 3 dwellings and a maximum of 20 dwellings and a maximum of 3 storeys.

Eligible projects may be located within a master planned community or residential subdivision.

Affordable Development Award

Projects entered in the Affordable Development category must demonstrate initial affordability of the product, as well as the incorporation of ‘whole of life’ sustainable elements that provide for long term affordability for ongoing running costs.

Projects should be substantially completed incorporating design elements that make a positive contribution to housing affordability whether for owners or tenants.

This category is open to entries of any type or residential development including subdivision, medium, and high-density projects.

Entries are encouraged from both the private and public sector and may include developments that provide social or rental housing, or those pitched at the first home buyer market.

High Density Development Award

Projects entered in the High Density Development Award category will include predominantly low rise, mid-rise and high-rise apartments, with a minimum of eight storeys and a minimum density of 30 dwellings or more per site hectare.

The project must be predominantly residential, which may incorporate some commercial and/or retail components and will be judged on the appropriateness of urban form and scale of development in local context.

Residential Development Award

Projects entered in the Residential Development category may comprise of low to medium density residential development primarily land sub-division including single storey, double storey attached and detached and/or small lot housing.

Projects would not include a comprehensive range of facilities within the development but should have established a satisfactory relationship and integration with facilities nearby. Developments should be substantially completed. Stages of a ‘Masterplanned Development’ are not eligible.

Urban Renewal Award

Projects entered in the Urban Renewal category must demonstrate revitalisation and appropriate use of land and/or buildings in established suburbs or inner-city areas.

There is no restriction on the type of uses or the inclusion of new elements, provided they are integrated with the existing built elements.

Projects entered in this category can either retain some existing built elements on a site or be inserted into an existing built environment.

Environmental Excellence Award

Projects entered in the Environment Excellence category must be sufficiently completed, submitted by a developer and should be able to demonstrate how significant environmental challenges have been overcome, and where research, innovation and design or construction techniques have enabled a significant and outstanding response to a need for conservation and environmental improvement.

The response to challenges may include a mix of environmental, social and financial outcomes or focus exclusively on social, economic or environmental achievements.

Marketing Excellence Award

The new Marketing Excellence category recognises exemplary marketing for quality projects in the property industry.

Projects need to have demonstrated an innovative and successful marketing approach and substantial delivery of the marketing strategy of the project.

Entries are judged on their branding, understanding of the target market, use of available budget and resources relative to the scale of the project, market acceptance as evidenced by sales, and the achievement of the original marketing objectives.

Seniors’ Living Award

Projects entered in the Seniors’ Living category must present high standards of overall design, create a sense of place and have regard for energy and water efficient operations and lifestyle themes for residents aged over 55, that is, residents who have retired or approaching retirement age.

Whilst the primary purpose of the project should be residential, the project may include integrated retirement lifestyle housing (independent living dwellings) as well as aged care facilities.

Social Community and Infrastructure Award

Projects entered in the Social & Community Infrastructure category must demonstrate leadership and innovation in delivering services and/or social infrastructure developments, such as civic/community buildings, schools, hospitals and the like.

Entries are generally submitted by a local government, or State Government agency, however, developers are eligible to enter if their entry is a public realm project that enables development and allows for general community use. A residential development alone is not eligible.

Design Excellence Award

This award recognises excellence in design (predominantly residential, ie. small lot housing, villas, town houses, terrace homes, row housing, apartment buildings). There is no requirement for the project to be completed or under construction but the conceptual design/work behind it should be substantially developed, particularly in relation to solutions to a challenge or specific requirement, building structure and aesthetics.

Young Leaders Award

The UDIA National Young Leaders’ Award for Excellence acknowledges and promotes the positive contribution young property professionals make to the property industry.

UDIA encourages young professionals across all disciplines of the development industry from both the public and private sectors to enter, including developers, contractors, consultants and those involved in property services.

Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria

Eligibility

To be eligible for this Award, applicants must have a minimum of five years’ experience in the development industry or an associated industry and be 35 years of age or under.

Award Criteria

Nominees must:

Provide their career overview detailing professional achievements
Provide their Career development goals for the next 5 years and an identified pathway to achieve these
Give reasons why they should be chosen as the Young Leader
Provide examples of their leadership qualities and indicate how they have demonstrated these qualities throughout their career
Describe how they are a role model for other professionals
Detail positive contributions and innovations that they have made to their organisation and the development industry above and beyond their job role
Provide a professional reference supporting the submission
Provide a personal reference supporting the submission

Women in Leadership Award

The Women in Leadership Award acknowledges and promotes the positive contribution of women to the development industry in Australia. UDIA National encourages professionals from across all disciplines of the development industry, from both the public and private sectors, to enter including developers, contractors, consultants and those involved in property services.

Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria

The awards recognise outstanding women working at mid to senior levels within the development industry and acknowledge their achievements.

Nominees demonstrate leadership ability within an organisation or within the development industry as a whole, and during the process provide examples in which they have introduced innovations into their workplace, the industry or in relation to a specific project.

They also demonstrate how they have had a positive influence, acting as a mentor or role model for more junior professionals.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this Award, applicants must have a minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in the development industry or an associated industry and must be a current member of UDIA State organisation (includes company membership).

Award Criteria

Nominees must:

Provide their career overview, detailing professional achievements.
Provide their career development goals for the next 5 years and an identified pathway to achieve these.
Give reasons why they should be chosen as the Women in Leadership Award recipient.
Provide examples of their leadership qualities and indicate how they have demonstrated these qualities throughout their career.
Describe how they are a role model for other professionals.
Detail positive contributions and innovations that they have made to their organisation and the development industry above and beyond their job role.
Provide a professional reference supporting their submission.
Provide a personal reference supporting their submission.

Diversity in Development Award

UDIA National’s new national Diversity in Development award acknowledges, encourages and most importantly, promotes diversity in development within the property industry across Australia.

Identify diversity in development companies which are leading in our sector
Recognise the positive influence diversity in development has within the organisation and the broader development industry

Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria

Nominee companies should be able to demonstrate diversity in development within their organisation or within the development industry as a whole, and should provide examples in which they have incorporated diversity in development into their workplace, the industry or in relation to a specific project/issue.

Nominee companies must demonstrate how they have had a positive influence on diversity in the development industry. The Award winner will be selected based on a genuine diversity in development contribution to the development industry.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this Award, applicant companies must be a member of UDIA and must have a minimum of 5 years’ continuous operation in the development industry or an associated industry.

Award Criteria

Nominees must:

Outline the policies their company has in place to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Provide examples of how these diversity policies have improved their company performance including:
- Outlining any challenges they have overcome and may still need to overcome, and
- Innovations and differences they have implemented in their organisation.
Outline a diversity profile of their company, breaking down employees by the Board, Senior Management, Middle Management and other levels and showcase how they believe their company demonstrates best practice in the development industry.

President’s Award

A recommendation for the President’s Award is made by the judges to the President from the winners of the project categories in the National Awards program.

The recommended project should demonstrate outstanding achievement and the highest standards of practice in at least one important aspect of urban development.

A project honoured with the President’s Award will be one that is capable of making a highly positive contribution to the public standing of contemporary development in Australia.

This award will be bestowed on “the best of the best”.

The Judges reserve the right to not award this category, should the projects not meet these criteria.